The big migration: thousands of whales on the move

Whale watchers crowd the deck on the yacht America and scan the waters for migrating whales.

K.C. Alfred

Whale watchers crowd the deck on the yacht America and scan the waters for migrating whales.

Whale watchers crowd the deck on the yacht America and scan the waters for migrating whales. (K.C. Alfred)

By Penny Lingo, SPECIAL TO THE UNION-TRIBUNE

DETAILS

Whale watching on yacht America

When: Daily through April 15 (or longer if whale sightings and public support prevail). Boarding at 10:30 a.m.; sailing at 11 a.m. until approximately 3 p.m.

Where: Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 N. Harbor Drive.

Tickets: Weekdays: adults, $65; children 12 and under, $34. Weekends: adults, $85; children 12 and under, $44. Price includes entry to the Maritime Museum of San Diego before or after the sail (day of sailing only).

DETAILS

Here’s a chance to learn more about local marine life and ecology. Guest speakers will share their expertise in programs throughout the weekend, and both the park and visiting exhibitors will offer films, displays, information and activities. The new Kelp Forest and Whale Overlook will be officially opened, and rangers and volunteers will assist visitors both in spotting whales and exploring the tide-pool area. (Dress warmly for all outdoor activities. Tide pools are best at low tides on 10:42 a.m. on Saturday and 11:58 a.m. on Sunday. Binoculars are helpful for whale-watching.)

When: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Where: 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive on Point Loma

Tickets: All events are included with the regular park entrance fee of $5 per vehicle and $3 for motorcyclists, bicyclists and walk-ins (valid for seven days from date of purchase). Admission is free with special passes. Phone: (619) 557-5450 Online:nps.gov/cabr/

PARKING FOR CRUISES

Allow extra time to find parking. Pay-for-parking lots near the Embarcadero include lots located at Broadway and Harbor Drive, Kettner and Beech, Kettner and Cedar and a parking structure at Columbia and C Street. On Sundays only, the meters along North Harbor Drive are free; on all other days, they extend for only 2 hours, not enough time to cover cruise lengths. On weekends and holidays only, public parking may be available for a fee at the County Administration Center at Harbor Drive and Ash Street (enter from Ash). The San Diego Trolley stop at “County Center / Little Italy station” is just a few blocks from the Embarcadero. The Shelter Island area has a few pay-for-parking lots; street parking is scarce.

Every year, a migration of gigantic proportions takes place in San Diego’s own “backyard.”

Unnoticed by many, the Pacific gray whale population, estimated by the American Cetacean Society at more than 20,000, swims silently and slowly through our coastal waters.

Their southbound destination is the western coast of the Baja Peninsula. After several months, the grays head north again to food-rich Arctic waters.

Because they begin their journeys singly or in small pods, there’s a period when southbound stragglers will pass animals getting an early start on the northbound route. That makes for a lot of gray whales in our waters.

“Our success rate for whale sightings is 94 percent,” says Troy Sears, part owner and captain of the schooner “America.” The 138-foot replica of the 1851 yacht “America” — for which the America’s Cup is named — offers daily whale-watching tours during the migration.

Several whale species swim in local waters. To find them, tour operators check many sources and share sighting information, including GPS locations, on a private radio channel.

Several types of vessels offer whale-watching trips, and each has its advantages.

Sailboats have less rolling motion than powerboats — the more stable ride is an important plus to some.

When the engine is turned off and the vessel slips through the water responding to the wind in the massive sails, it’s not only “greener” and less intrusive to the whales, it’s also quite a treat just to be aboard.

Very few guests have become seasick on an America cruise. If it does happen, the guest will be offered either a free trip on another day or a restaurant gift certificate.

“Basically,” Sears says, “if you lose your lunch, we’ll replace it.”

HOW TO SEE THEM

There’s a range of styles available for those who want to get out on the water to see a whale or two — or more.

• The athletically inclined might choose a kayak or R.I.B. (rigid inflatable boat) tour. Their comforts may be fewer, but if a whale is encountered, you’ll be right down on the water with it.

• At the other end of the scale are the larger excursion boats, with their option to watch the action either from the deck or from comfortable seats indoors.

• For a trip that combines whale-watching with the experience of being under sail, sign up with the luxury racing yacht America or, to charter a sail with a small private group, with Harbor Sails.

WHAT YOU WILL SEE

What might you see out there? Well, that’s up to the weather — fog is always a possibility — and the animals.

Tour operators do everything they can to find whales on each cruise. Usually, they are successful, but there are no guarantees. However, many operators offer a free second trip if no whales are spotted the first time out.

The first sighting of a whale is usually the spout — the animal’s warm, condensing, exhaled breath — as its undulating back breaks the surface of the water then disappears again. After several such breaths, the tail flukes come up and the whale goes into a deeper dive, which usually lasts for several minutes.

Other behaviors, less often seen, are “spy-hopping” — a whale raising its head vertically out of the water — or the animal actually leaping out of the water.

Responsible boaters do not crowd the whales, but once in a while, whales will voluntarily come closer to the boats, almost as if they were curious.

Grays are the most commonly sighted type of whale this time of year, but blue, minke and fin whales have also been seen. A large pod of orcas (“killer whales”) was seen only a few weeks ago — quite an unusual occurrence.

Dolphins and/or porpoises frequently make an appearance. Seals sometimes swim by the boat, and sea lions (they like to lie out on the harbor buoys) and various sea birds are pretty much a sure bet.

SOME HELPFUL TIPS

• Be ready to board 30 minutes before scheduled departure.

• Weather can change quickly when you’re on the water, so dress in layers. Comfortable, flat shoes with rubber soles are recommended. Bring or wear a warm jacket (one that is water-resistant is a good choice), and don’t forget sunscreen, sunglasses, gloves and a hat. (It gets very windy out on deck; a hat secured by a chinstrap or lanyard won’t get blown overboard.)

• Bring a camera and binoculars if you have them.

• Unless specified, lunch is not included, but snacks and beverages are usually available. Some tours encourage guests to bring food and drink; ask your tour operator about their policy.

• If you are worried about seasickness, try wearing anti-motion-sickness bracelets, available at most drugstores. Tablets such as Dramamine help if they are taken beforehand, but they may cause some degree of drowsiness. If you start feeling queasy, try sipping some ginger ale or nibbling a ginger candy. Starting the night before, eat moderately and avoid oily or fatty foods and alcohol. Eat a light breakfast.

• The crew usually includes a knowledgeable guide to point out sights and provide information. Handouts, show-and-tell or interactive projects may also be part of the tour.

• Prices listed do not include gratuities and may not include tax.

ABOUT GRAY WHALES

• The annual 10,000-to-14,000-mile round trip of the gray whale vies with that of humpback whales for being the longest migration of any mammal.

• From late October each year, when they leave the Arctic until they return six to nine months later, the whales — even mothers that are nursing — basically fast, eating only minimally or not at all.

• Mothers give birth to a single calf after a gestation of 12 months; they will stay together for about two years. Most births take place in the warm lagoons of Baja, which offer some protection from predators.

• Grays can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and be as much as 50 feet in length — slightly longer than the average city bus.

• Starting when they are calves, parasites, including barnacles and whale lice, attach to their streamlined gray bodies and narrow heads, giving them a mottled appearance.

• They have no dorsal fin, only a series of bumps along the midline of their backs.

• Flukes (tail lobes) are about 10-12 feet across on adults.

• Gray whales do not have teeth. Instead, growing down from the roofs of their mouths is “baleen,” fringed plates made of keratin — the same protein that forms our hair and fingernails.

• Grays feed on bottom-dwelling crustaceans, which they scoop into their mouths along with sediment and large quantities of seawater. Then, they push their tongues against the baleen, which acts as a filter to trap the food as the water is expelled.

• Because they don’t have to chase fast-moving prey for food, gray whales move slowly. They prefer shallower waters along the coastline, possibly to help protect them from orcas (killer whales), which sometimes prey on them.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHALES

Cabrillo National Monument, on the Point Loma peninsula, offers whale exhibits and taped narratives. It’s a great location for land-based whale-watching with binoculars, either from outdoors or from their small glass-enclosed observatory. Their 23rd annual Whale Watch Weekend and Intertidal Life Festival this weekend will also feature presentations, exhibits and films from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (See DETAILS, above right .)

Birch Aquarium at Scripps celebrates the gray whale season through April 4 with educational activities and exhibits. The outdoor tide-pool plaza is an excellent vantage point from which to look for whales. Admission: $8 to $12; free to children 2 and younger and to Scripps Oceanographic Society Members. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; ticket sales end at 4:30 p.m. Three-hour courtesy parking in the Birch Aquarium’s parking lot. Information: (858) 534-3474 or aquarium.ucsd.edu.

uniontribune.com/sea-sounds: Ever wondered what kind of sounds whales or dolphins make? How about walruses or seals? On this user-friendly site, developed by Scripps Institute of Oceanography, you can listen to recorded sounds made by marine mammals and see graphics, text and video on each animal.